Automatic display device



Jan. 30, 1940'.

H. BARTA AUTOMATIC DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Sept. 29, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR- aaa fiiswra wad- ATTORNEY H. BARTA 2,188,733

AUTOMATIC DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Sept. 29, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 61 140 596 74 ATTO RN EY Patented Jan. 30,1940

omrsso s'rarss enter Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in automatically operating display devices adapted for advertising or other display purposes and employingas display elements flexible sheets or posters which are progressively moved into a diuplay or visible position and from which they are, attimed intervals, removed to the rear of the series ofv display elements. This operation is continued as a cycle with the elements advancing from the rear position to display position by gravity. v

As is readily appreciated, a major requirement of a machine of this type is that it shall be dependablefor operating over long periods of use and with the minimum liability of the sheet carriers becoming so displaced as to interfere with the proper operation. To contribute to the successful operation over long periods, my im proved machine is designed to embody features of construction and design which materially improve'the operation ascompared to machines for this purpose, as heretofore proposed. Important features of my improved machine particularly adapted for'long. period operation include a simplified and relatively shortened cycle of movement of the carrier rods of the display elements whereby they are..de1iveredwith the minimum distance of travel from display position to the rearfo-fv the gravity magazine portion of the guideway; an improved arrangement 7 of the feed roller and cooperating idler to insure proper and uniform advancing of the display I sheets and in co-operation with the conveying or transferring means, the employment of toothed delivery guide members operating to insure accurate aligning of the carrier rods as they are delivered. to the gravity magazine portion of the guideway. In addition, my present improvements further include improvements in the conveying or transfer mechanism for effecting the movement of the carrier rods as'referred to.

The foregoing and other features and advantages of my present improvements willqb'e more fully understood by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals are applied to the corresponding parts. in the several views. I 1

In the drawings: r Fig. l is a View taken in rear elevation showing my improved machine in its preferred form.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view with. portions shown in section.

' Fig. 3 is a central, vertical cross sectional view thereof. b I 1 Fig. iis-a'similar .butpartial sectional view showing the parts infurther advanced position.

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the carrier rod and sheet assembly. j v

Fig; 6 is a vertical sectional View similar to Fig. 4 showing a desirable modified construction of conveying means.

Fig. 7 is a partial showing similar to Fig. 6 showing the conveyor lever in a different position. l

In the approved embodiment of my invention as shown in Figs. 1 to l, the mechanism for sucoessively displaying the advertising sheets is shown mounted in a supporting frame 5 formed asan enclosing casing having a front display window 2 with protective glass 3.

The'improved sheet feeding mechanismineludes the feed roller 4 mounted on a shaft 5 journalled in the side walls of the casing. The-feed roller is'provided with annular, resilient sleeve portions 6-45 forgripping of the sheets. The roller 4 is driven by a motor M having reduction speed shaft 1 provided with-a sprocket 8 carrying drive chain 9- drivingv a sprocket It fixed on a journalled feed roller shaft 5 for rotating the feed roller. Adjacent each'end of the feed roller there is supported a guide channel member l2 forming inwardly directed and complemental guideways or channels -I4l5=for carrier rods It of the display elements 11. I The latter are suitable flexible sheetsfor advertising or other matter and are mounted upon the rods It as best shown in Fig; 5by being folded over the rods and held thereon by resilient retaining clips or split sleeves it. The rods at each end project beyond the display sheets to be received within the guide channels as shown.

In accordance with my invention, the guide channel members provide a guideway'having up per and lower inclined-tangential and converging guide portions .14 and of which the lower guide channel' portion is downwardly and for- -warclly'inclined and forms a magazine portion to receive a series of the carrier rods adapted to advance therein by gravity to a forward display position, the foremost to be then visible through window 2. r

Associated therewith, means are provided for operating .at timed intervals, to convey the foremost display sheet upwardly and rearwardly over thefeed roller and to a position at the rear of the series of display elements in the magazine portion 15 of the guideway. To this end, there is employed oppositely positioned 'conveyor chains carrying hook or pin elements 2| adapted to engage the foremost rod and supported to travel in a path to parallel the guideway portion l4 and to continue concentric with the feed roller for about half of its circumference. The conveyor chains, to this end, are supported upon sprockets 22 fixed on the feed roller shaft 5 and are accordingly driven thereby and upon positioning idler rollers 24 and 25.. The former of the idlers, 24, are journalled on bearing studs 26 supported on the frame and the idlers are pivotally mounted on levers 28 pivotally supported on the frame at 29 and to the opposite end of which are connected springs 30 attached to frame pins 3! for applying desired tension to the chains. The hooks 2i shown formed as integral extensions of one of the chain link bearing pins and are extendedinwardly whereby their hooked ends are positioned to intercept the foremost of the carrier rods and by its engagement to carry the rod upwardly through the channel portions I l and around the feed roller to a discharge position I entering the magazine portion as is readily apparent. To assure proper engagement of the hooks 2| with the carrier rod, guide flanges 33 and 34 are provided, the latter formed integral with the guide channel member and to insure proper disengagement of the hooks at the entry to the magazine cam members 35 are provided to be engaged by the hooks to force the latter outwardly from the roller to release the rods.

, Proper alignment of the carrier rods, particularly during the period of transfer over the roller and at the discharge position entering the magazine portion, is important to dependable and uninterrupted operation. An important feature contributing to improved operation in this respectv consists in providing toothed guide disc members 36 co-operating with the conveyor means; These discs are mounted to be rotatable with the feed rollers and positioned whereby the carrier rod end portions will be engaged by the teeth thereof for accurately maintaining the proper alignment of the rods as they travel over the roller and particularly as they are released to pass into the magazine portion l5 of the guideway. 1

A further important feature of my invention consists in providing for positive feeding of the sheets as they travel'over the feed roller. f This is accomplished by the co-action with the roller of an idler feed roller 38 having yielding pressure engagement with the feed roller. As shown, the idler is formed of rubber discs mounted upon a shaft 39 fitted to slots in brackets 40. v The sheets, as shown, pass between the idlerand feed rollers, the idlers being of such weight as to produce a frictional grip suficientto assist proper feed of the sheets.

In Figs. 6 and '7 I have shown my improved device' embodying features-as described with a de sirable modified form of conveying means for transferring the carrier rods from the display position rearwardly to the end of the series; In this construction, the feed roller is driven from the motor M by chain drive i2 and for transferring the carrier rods a lever conveying mechanism is employed consisting of pivotally supported levers arranged at opposite sides of the machine and of which one only is here shown. These levers are pivoted on bearing studs 46 and are oscil; lated by means of link 47 pivoted thereto and to a crank arm '48 rotated by a motor shaft 49. Upon the free end portions of the; levers are carried outwardly yieldable pivoted feed dogs or latches 50 formed with inclined detent portions 5! and are as positioned to engage the exposed carrier rod end portions. The latches are supported whereby thev end portions by gravity move inwardly toeffect coupling engagement with the carrier rods and are provided with stop pins 54'b'earing against the upper surfaces of the guideway portions Mto limit the inward movement thereof. The move-' ment of the conveyor levers is such as to effect engagement with the rods when in lowermost position byreason of the outwardly deflecting action of their inclined lower end surfaces asshown tinued rearward movement.

embodiment of the features of my invention it will be understood that varied modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. ,1

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A display device of the, character described comprising a supporting. member, a feed roller journalled therein, guide channel members suitably supported at opposite ends of the rollerfor guiding carrier rods to move over the roller in toothed delivery guide discs carried by the feed rollers'and positioned to'be engaged by the rod 'a closed cycle from a forward display position, v

end portions, a plurality of carrier rods fitted to the guide channel members, flexible display sheets mounted on the rods, conveying means operative periodically to engage the forward rod and to convey'same rearwardly over the feed roller, co-acting sheet feed rolleryieldingly engaging the feed roller for receiving between the rollers the display sheetQa motorand driving connections from the motor and operative to drive the feed roller and the conveying means. i

2. A display device of the character described comprising a supporting member, a feedroller journalledtherein, guide'channel members supported at opposite ends of the roller for guiding carrier rods tov move over the rollerin a closed cycle from a forward display position, said channel members providing a forwardly and downwardly inclined magazine portion, toothed de-' livery guide discs carried bythe' feed roller and positioned to engage the rod end portions, a plurality of carrier rods fitted to the guide channel members, flexible display sheets mounted on the rods, conveying means operativeperiodically to engage the forward rod and to convey same rearwardly'over the feed roller, a co-acting feedceiving between the rollers a display sheet, a

' motor and driving connections from the motor I 55 roller yieldingly engaging the feed roller for re-f journalled therein, guide channel members suitably supported at opposite ends" of the roller for guiding carrier rods to move over the roller in a closed cycle from a forward display position, toothed delivery guide discs carried 'by the feed roller to engage the rod ends, cam members positioned to engage the rod ends to insure disengagement from theguide teethas the rods are delivered to the rear-of "theguidewaymagazine portion, a plurality of carrierrods fitted to the 3. A display device ofthe character described comprising a supporting membeni a feed roller convey same rearwardly over the feed roller, a co-acting sheet feed roller yieldingly engaging the feed roller for receiving between the rollers the display sheet, a motor and drivingconneotions from the motor and operative to drive the feed roller and the conveying means.

4. A display device of the character described comprising a supporting member, a feed roller journalled therein, guide channel members'supported at opposite ends of the roller for guiding carrier rods to move over the roller in a closed cycle from'a forward display position and formed to provide a forwardly and downwardlyYinclined magazine portion for gravity feed of the rods, a

same rearwardly over the feed roller, said conveying means consisting of pivotally supported levers and outwardly yieldable latches carried by the levers to engage the rod ends, a motor and todrive the feed roller driving connections from the motor to oscillate the levers and to drive the feed roller, substantially as described.

5. A display device of the character described comprising a supporting member, a feed roller journalled therein, guide channel members supported at opposite ends of the roller for guiding carrier rods to move over the roller in a closed cycle from a forward display position and formed to provide a forwardly and downwardly inclined magazine portion for gravity feed of the rods, a plurality of carrier rods fitted to the guide channel members, flexible displaysheets mounted on the rods, conveying means operative periodically to engage the forward rod and to convey same rearwardly over the feed roller, said conveying means consisting of pivotally supported levers and outwardly yieldable latches carried by the levers to engage the rod end portions, said latches having guide retaining pins engaging the surface of the channel members, a motor and driving connections from the motor to oscillate the levers and HUGO BARTA. 

